Average people are many things – being Extraordinary and Successful are not among them

Let me be clear – there is nothing wrong with being average.  I am an average height, an average singer, and an average cook.

When it matters, and when average is not good enough, is when we are only mediocre at something that really means a lot to us. We don’t want to start a business to just have an average result.

We don’t want to be an average mom, or wife.

We don’t want to be an average wage earner or have mediocre success at our profession.

We don’t want our dreams to be crushed by an average outcome.

So, as we look at going Above & Beyond this month make sure you don’t forget to go Above & Beyond for yourself and your business.  Take the time to make strides to rise above the average in the areas you deem important to you.

We create our own reality and opportunities. If we don’t go Above & Beyond for ourselves…who will?

If we choose not to go the extra mile then we are settling for average and mediocre at best.

How do we go Above & Beyond for ourselves? Let’s take a look at a few ways you can move beyond average…

Average people have a love/hate relationship with time.

Ever notice how some people never seem to have enough time to get it all done? They are always “busy” and often wear that like a badge of honor. They seem to love to say (and create) that they have such a busy life. Yet they hate that they can’t seem to get things accomplished, get ahead, or do all the things they want to do.

There is a difference between being “busy” and being productive. To go beyond busy into the productive zone we have to not only stop complaining about being busy but do something about it!

We can step off the hamster wheel and prioritize our ‘to-do’ list, delegate tasks, delete the frivolous and fluff, reassign the unnecessary, and schedule in the things that will move us away from average and into extraordinary.

Successful people define their time and efforts by what will move the needle. They are not subjected to reacting to everything the world throws at them. Instead of living in a reactionary state they simply have their priorities straight and evaluate the productiveness of things as they come along.

Average people have big plans – and do a lot of talking about them

Ever have that one friend or colleague that has great ideas but no follow through?

Creating, planning, and dreaming are wonderful traits…everyone has great ideas and thoughts. It is only those who carry through, who work at bringing those ideas to life, who go Above & Beyond average.

Last month we talked about not setting goals but rather we need to DECIDE what we want to accomplish and follow through on that decision. 

Remember, you are not a speaker unless you actually speak (and get paid).

You are not an author if no one is buying your books.

You are not a realtor if you are not helping others buy or sell houses.

You are not a manufacturer if you produce nothing.

You are not a financial planner if you are not helping clients plan their future.

Stop just talking about your great ideas and your business…make it happen!

Average people make average (or lower) wages

It is written no where that you have to make more than the average American. However, I am assuming you would like to earn an above average income. According to huduser.gov the average American income in 2021 was $79,900. Not bad, not good, just average.

Reality is that if you settle for an average income, you may find that you are often ‘broke’ or feeling like you just don’t have enough.

Go Above & Beyond for yourself – if may take you a few years of nose to the grindstone to break above the average but there are several things you have control over now to get there.

Stop eating out and take that money and invest it in you and your business – join a networking group, take a course, get some more training

Keep your bills current – avoid late fees, interest, and penalty fees. You may need to trim the fat off some bills – like all those subscriptions to entertainment apps, TV/Movie networks, productivity apps, and music sources.

Settle for last years model – you don’t need the latest and greatest. Does your phone work? No need to upgrade! Does your car get you from A to B? No need for a new one.

Get rid of low producing efforts – many professionals and entrepreneurs have several marketing strategies they spend money on (yes, your time is money). Evaluate what is working and stick to those. Set the others aside for a period of time and re-evaluate in a few months.

Doing these strategies (and there are many more) will not only save you money but have the potential to move you from ‘average’ to above that line in record time.

Average people jump into and stay in a box

We are inundated daily with new ideas, the greatest marketing technique, the best way to go about doing something, and on and on….

An average professional or entrepreneur will jump into any box the moment it is presented, honker down and wait for it to work.

People who break out of the box, who take risks, who look at the situation from different angles and perspectives and explore possibilities, are the ones who succeed more frequently.

Don’t do things just because it is the way it has always been done, or because so-and-so who is successful says this is the way, or because you are too afraid to try something new and different.

Go beyond the noise and evaluate the box BEFORE jumping in!

Successful people don’t jump on or stay in a box someone else created…no matter how pretty they can decorate it.

Average people are never to blame

The first rule of success – be accountable.

In order to truly go Above & Beyond for yourself you have to be willing to take the heat. Average people shift the blame, remain a victim of circumstances, and often give disclaimers to avoid responsibility.

Know what you expect of yourself. Set your standards, don’t waver, and hold yourself accountable.

Average people need entertainment

When I first got a smart phone Rodger said to me, “Now you will never get bored.”

Truth is I think we need to NOT have entertainment at our fingertips 24/7 so we are forced to do something different. Being bored is not a bad thing – it is what you fill the void with that can be the problem.

My experience is that average people turn to entertainment rather than create, work, and explore. They use it as a distraction (maybe not even on purpose) rather than facing whatever it is they are avoiding.

One exception…learning. Yes, learning is my chosen form of entertainment. Reading books, listening to podcasts, and diving into courses on a variety of topics is not only entertaining for me, but also helps me to go Above & Beyond for my business.

Average people focus on fairytale futures

I like a good story just like the rest of us…but life if not a fairytale or a Hallmark movie, and your chances of winning the lottery or receiving a substantial inheritance or meeting your forever love at the local small town snowflake ball, are slim to none.

Wasting precious time hoping and wishing for things not only brings disappointment and an empty feeling, but is incredibly destructive to making your life, your business, and your relationships what you want.

There is no “easy” switch that will make it all better. Life is not always happy in your “happily ever after”.

Overnight success happens after years of hard work, taking risks, dedication, failures, persistence, sleepless nights, no recognition, lack of money, and certainly a draining of energy.

Make no mistake – money or small town Christmas Magic does NOT cure lazy!

Average people need guarantees

The very nature of guarantees are based on averages. Needing a guarantee that something will work in your business is a sign that risk is not an acceptable reality for you.

People that have a mindset of scarcity often want guarantees. One way to set yourself up for success is to intentionally shift to a mindset of abundance. There is enough for everyone – including you.

There are no guarantees in life (for anything) so don’t worry about that. Share your knowledge, your expertise, your resources, your time, your experiences, your failures, and others will reciprocate to you.

Opening yourself up to give and receive is better than any guarantee out there.

Going Above & Beyond for your clients (like we talked about in the last post) is vital to success, doing the same for yourself is imperative. You need to take a close look at where you want to excel, which aspects of your life you do not want to be average in.

Then find ways to rise above, find ways to go beyond the norm, and decide to do whatever it takes to make it happen.